Social, Biological And Environmental Factors Of Addiction

There are many factors such as biology, environment and development that results in the persons initial introduction into the world of drugs. Drug abuse may start as a way to socially connect. More often than not people try drugs for the first time in social

To begin with, studies have found that inherited genes are responsible for a considerably large part of the probability that someone will become addicted to any kind of substance or behavior. Addiction is strongly influenced by genetic factors in the later stages of addiction, such as problem use and dependence of an addictive substance. Some genetic factors can make an individual more likely to become addicted to only one specific drug. On the other hand, some genes can make an individual more likely to become addicted in general. Some individuals might be genetically inclined to risk-taking behavior such as receiving large jolts of dopamine through what they consider to be the “excitement” of drug use. These individuals could be subject to keep returning to the illicit and harmful drugs that they find enjoyable despite what they know of the harmful effects. These genetic influences could make them more likely to become addicted to alcohol, cocaine, tobacco, gambling, or any number of substances or activities. Addiction has an inherited component and it

Genetic factors have been directly linked to the risk of an individual’s vulnerability to addiction (APA, 2008). In addition, other risk factors that play a

Dependence on drugs could also be due to genetically or biologically determined factors that influence a person towards drugs. Genetic predispositions to drugs which push individuals such as Blake towards the need to be high. The genetic factors create a gap that continually requires filling but which cannot be fully satisfied. Furthermore, low-income family and friendship ties may cause an individual to feel unwanted and eventually cause them to seek solace in substance abuse.

There are many theories, though. For example, some people may inherit certain genes that make them more likely to abuse drugs. Another theory is that people learn how to use drugs by copying the behavior of others. Also, changes that happen in the brain due to long-term drug use may reinforce a person 's desire to keep using drugs.

The biological factors that reasearchers say might influence addiction are genetic factors. Researchers have contributed genetics as a cause since there is “hereditary biological differences that make some individuals either more or less susceptible to drug dependence than others” (U.S Congress, Office of Technology pg. 6). When there are biological influences involved in addiction, and there is one or more family members that have suffered from addiction there could be the possibility of a genetic deposition for addiction.

Addictions can be passed through the genes. There is some truth to the debate of why one's heredity may make them predisposed to addictive behaviors pertaining to substance abuse. For example, consider a woman who is physically unable to stop abusing drugs and alcohol during her pregnancy. Her baby will most certainly be born with severe withdrawal

Genetics may make up 50% of the risk for alcohol and drug dependence, but not all people who use alcohol and drugs will develop an addiction. Ultimately, addiction is influenced by many factors, including a person’s environment, parents, expectancies of what drinking or using drugs will do, and one’s individual response to drugs and alcohol. While a family history of alcohol or drug dependency is known to contribute significantly to the risk of a child developing the same condition, genes are not the sole determinant of alcoholism or drug dependence. Lots of people have come from addicted families but managed to overcome their family history and live happy lives. Teens may think that they don 't have the choice to stop but they do. Which is why if teens are drug tested earlier in life the can be prevented from developing an addiction.

What are some of the contributing factors? Some scientists believe that certain individuals are at greater risk of drug dependence because of psychological factors, including difficulty controlling impulses, lack of values in drug use, low self-esteem, peer pressure, and depression. Risk-taking also increases between childhood and adolescence as a result of changes around the time of puberty in the brain’s socio-emotional system leading to increased reward-seeking, especially in the presence of peers. (3) Younger people also believe that they will not lose control if they use drugs. Genetics can also contribute to the increased likelihood that an individual will abuse drugs.

Clinical health psychology can be defined as the study of psychological and behavioral processes in health and illnesses. In other words health psychology is a branch of study that examines the interrelationship between biology, social factors and behaviour. A health psychologist is interested to know more about the person with the disease, to understand the educational or socioeconomic background, the behaviour that may influence the disease, like compliance for taking medication and the biological reason for the disease. Health psychology might be best explain with the concept of different addictions. The purpose of this essay is to determinate the biological,

Extensive research shows that biological factors such as genes are just the beginning of the underlying causes of addiction. Environmental factors play a huge role. There is a profound mutuality between family circumstances and the extent of drug addiction. One study that I found particularly interesting involved 559 people; all of which were families. “The main family factors of drug addiction, according to the results obtained, are family atmosphere, strength of family ties, sense of family happiness, structure of authority in the family, and alcoholism.” (NCBI.NLM.NIH.GOV) In found that drug addicts come from a family that aggression and ill will are present and family ties are far less decrepit than those where addiction was not. The ease of access to drugs and alcohol also was a determining factor of the addiction equation. What I found most concerning was that in families where the mother was the authoritative figure 54.4% --that’s more than half—addiction was present. Vice versa, in the families that love and affection were evident the children rarely took any

The topic for my milestone three project is nature versus nurture what is the source for a person becoming an addict? Nature versus nurture is a long standing debate amongst many individual’s genes and environment. In my milestone I would like to focus on what could be the trigger for an individual to become an addict. Alcoholism affects not only the individual but also those around them an example the spouse, family members and children. Becoming addicted to alcohol has the ability to effect people for years and can influence children and adults to follow the same path.

Alcohol related disorders affect over seventy-six million people (13) around the world and the economic cost of alcohol addiction in the U.S. alone is at least $246 billion annually (17). Animal models have been used extensively in research to understand the biology of addiction and substance seeking behaviors. These models offer the advantage of having greater control and manipulation of variables that are constrained in human testing. Research studies have established the commonality of the biological processes involved in substance seeking behavior across mammals (13). Rodents are the most universally used animal model today in alcohol research, while invertebrate models are uncommon.

They assume addicts lack moral principles or self-discipline and that they can quit by simply deciding to. The reality is, people who have struggled with substance abuse have often found it extremely difficult to quit due to the physical and/or mental addiction. Drug have the ability to change the brain patterns and cause health complications, making things harder in the long-term and may determine life or death. Fortunately, because of more research, there are more ways to back out of an addiction and seek help through an enduring and extensive treatment. Factors that affect the likelihood and speed of developing an addiction are environmental and individual factors, including genetics and

When someone says, “You get that laugh or that smile from your father or your mother.” You don’t always believe them, but in some studies today it is said that if your parents or anyone in your family has a history of a drug addiction those traits in their genes have a decent chance of being passed down to the children causing problems for them later in life. According to the Drugs and Addiction article in the 2009 Addiction Journal, “Family, twin and adoption studies suggest that the heritability of substance use disorders is moderate to